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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What comes to mind when you think of a fat pie? I made an apple pie for Sunday dinner -- what a delicious aroma filled the house! But when I put the rolls in to bake, we began to smell something -- and it wasn't the yeasty smell of Sue's Sunday Dinner Rolls. When I opened the oven, smoke billowed out. Lesson learned: Boiled over apple pie is not the cinnamon sweetness of the pie itself.

When we open our mouths to speak, we want our words to taste like juicy apple pie, not the burnt sugary mess in the bottom of my oven. Every conversation should be filled with kindness. Tears filled my eyes when I read that 160,000 children miss school each day because they fear what their peers will say about them. Doesn't reading this statistic make your heart just ache? It reminds me why I tried to instill the virtue of kindness in my daughters on a daily basis.

Solomon knew the importance of kind words. He said, "Kind words are like honey -- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Once we taste the sweetness, we are spoiled for life. Because, not only can the person receiving the kind words taste the gift of bees, but we, too, can enjoy the sweetness that comes from bestowing the kindness blessing.Blessing with kind words is not something we put on when we feel like it. It's a way of life. With practice it becomes who we are. I'd like to challenge you to intentionally bless someone with kind words this week -- someone besides family and friends:

Pastor

Sales clerk

Medical personnel

Soldier

Coffee shop server

Policeman

Boss

A child

Harried Mother

By being intentional, you will begin a habit that will change the rest of your life. Again, it is Solomon who gives us the wisdom of kind words: "Gentle words are a tree of life." As you bless with kindness, you will be growing leaves on your own sheltering tree -- a tree of life. And that pie? No comparison, because kind words really are better than a fat pie.

22 comments:

Gret thought, Pamela. I am currently preparing a school assembly on the "bucket filler vs bucket spiller" idea - working in the Quality Character Traits we should be instilling in our children - be they our own or our students. The concept of kindness is something that, I fear, needs to actually be taught these days - "This is what it Looks like, Sounds like, Feels like" - and in your case, today - SMELLS like!

Fantastic post. I try to always use a very polite tone when talking to waitresses, bank tellers, etc, and to always be grateful for their help. I need to get better at being able to do more than that though and pay a compliment too. A little kindness from a stranger can be such a good boost to someone's day!

Pamela, This is so relevant to what the Lord has been teaching me, especially in terms of speaking to unbelievers. I have known Christian families where they scream and yell at each other. When I didn't know Jesus, I would look at these families and think...are these really the people who are "close" to God? It really seared my conscience and made me question Christianity. It is so true that our words can either kill or uplift ~ what a blessing a sweet, kind word is to the soul!! Thank you for so poignantly sharing!! Much Love ~alice

A good reminder to intentionally bless everyone with whom I come into contact, that every small decision I make matters. While I might not choose harsh words most of the time, I often choose silence (especially with strangers) instead of kind words. It's an easy change I can make.

Such a wonderful reminder of how our words can bring life to others. Kindness shared goes along ways and may touch beyond the one shared. Love this word you ahve blessed us with today. reminded me of the story my daughter shared fo my granddughter who started second grade this week. She started in a new school with new friends. SAhe told her parents this a is a fresh start for me and new days and new friends. Out of the mouth of babes. Blessings

OK, when I first started reading this post, I wondered - is there something called a fat pie, or is it just something that happens when you eat too many of them? Hmmm...

Yes, my heart bleeds for these children. I was the victim of bullying when I was in the 7th grade. It was a very harrowing experience - and something which colored my outlook on life and myself.

It's an unkind world out there, and I love your advice to be intentional with our kindness. I try to say a good word to everyone I meet. One thing I make a point of is to look at someone's name tag first thing. Then, I can say a good word, or a thank you - and make it personal. I am blessed by the smiles I get...

Let's pass on some words that *fill* up people's hearts. Yes, much better than fat pie!!

Challenge accepted! I really like the one about a sales clerk and soldier. They're all good but those two jumped out at me. I feel called to do just that! I agree, an uncontrolled tongue can be a weapon.